Polygamy, << puh LIHG uh mee, >> can refer either to a system in which a man is married to more than one woman at the same time, or, less commonly, in which a woman is married to more than one man at the same time. The word polygamy comes from two Greek words meaning many marriages. Polygyny is a more specific term for the practice of marrying more than one wife. Polyandry refers to marrying more than one husband.
Polygyny is much more common than polyandry. Many peoples have practiced polygyny, and some still do, especially in Asia and Africa. The Muslim religion permits marriage between a man and as many as four wives, and the Hindu religion sets no limit on the number of women who may be married to one man. When more than one woman is married to the same man, each wife usually has her own house. The time the husband spends with each wife is usually strictly prescribed. Polygyny was once customary in China and Turkey, but those countries now have laws against it. In the United States, Mormons practiced polygyny until their church made it illegal in 1890. The U.S. Congress had passed a law forbidding polygyny in 1862. But some U.S. families still practice polygyny in the United States, especially in the West. Many of them consider themselves to be following the original Mormon customs.
Polyandry was permitted among the Todas of India and the Inuit (sometimes called Eskimos) of the Arctic. Some groups in Tibet still practice it.
